News

A visit to Lamb Crafted (and details on Tyson Lamb’s plans to expand)

Published

5 years ago

Mar 26, 2019

Lamb Crafted is growing. And that should be exciting for all Lamb fans. Currently working with only two machines in a small and cramped garage-style workshop, 30-year-old Tyson Lamb is making as much product as he is currently able to make.

And right now, it’s not enough to meet demand. Today, accessory sales (ball markers, divot tools, headcovers) are keeping the company moving forward. But Lamb wants to be able to focus on putters. With growth, that should be possible soon. The company is moving headquarters to a new facility in Plano, Texas, with much more space. And more importantly, more machines.

“If we were only making putters, we wouldn’t be in business,” Lamb said. “Revenue and customer based growth is strictly through accessories. We can make 15,000 products in a year and maybe make three to five hundred putters in a year. And that is going to increase astronomically when we move. Right now, we have two machines and if both are making accessories, we have nothing to make putters on. By the end of next year, we will more than likely have 5 machines. Plus, more people and more storage.”

The accessory-first business model has worked wonders for Lamb. It has been an integral part of getting his name out there. While other club manufacturers can give clubs to tour pros or pay them to showcase their stuff, that’s nearly impossible to do for a company the size of Lamb Crafted. Especially when they only make 300 putters a year. Instead, they can sell you a handcrafted, high-quality ball marker and then you are a part of the Lamb team while you wait to pull the trigger on a much pricier putter.

“So at a $55 price point, someone can get a piece of your work and then they are a part of your brand,” Lamb said. “The donut ball marker went crazy and everyone wanted it. Instantaneously we went from 300 customers to 4000 overnight. It was staggering. Then it became collectible. And once that happened, it’s a different world. The demand for our accessories is 60% or 70% in relation to our putters.”

“Everything we do is over-engineered,“said Tana Lamb, Tyson’s business partner and mother. “People look at our putter priced at $1250 and then they buy a ball marker first instead. Then they have an accessory and they can really see the quality.”

For those that don’t know the Tyson Lamb story, you can hear it directly from him here. Lamb talked with GolfWRX and told all about his company’s beginnings in his parent’s garage. How things went from belt-buckles to putters to donut ball markers, from Instagram success to wait-lists and incredibly high demand.

His putters and accessories typically sell out on his website in under 10 minutes. They have recently gone to a lottery system for their online releases. The putter maker/artist is shooting to release 10 putters a month online. They will go live and you can “purchase” a ticket for a chance at each putter for $0. Then, Lamb will draw the winning order numbers live on his Instagram account. Then you have to pay up for whichever putter you won.

So with this new growth, does that mean Tyson won’t be doing the work himself? Not at all. The guy is a perfectionist but he also understands that when customers are spending the type of money his putters are selling for, then his hands should be the ones making the thing. He never wants to lose that connection with each piece.

“Every-single-thing that goes on, I do it,” Lamb said. “If we are making 1000 markers, I write the program. I make the picture. I do all of it. We just had a whole program run two putters while we were sitting right here and I am not touching it. But I am going to be the one to go take it out of the machine, move it into the next step. And that won’t change as we grow. If you are going to pay $3000-$5000 for a putter, that putter better have my hands on it. That won’t change.”

But there is also a very real problem in making each putter custom while still meeting all of that demand. It’s just not possible. So the plan is to unveil different divisions or levels of putters for purchase. There will be a production level of putters that Tyson will design and have his hands on but they will be more standardized and machine based. These putters will obviously sell for cheaper than the custom sticks that get Lamb’s full attention, but there will be more of them to meet demand. There are certainly customers out there that just want a Lamb Crafted putter. Even if it isn’t a fully custom one that takes a week to build.

“Coming up with a more standardized model means I don’t have to be as hands on which means more people get it which means more people are happy,” said Lamb. “A lot of people just want more putters out there. And that would make the price point better as well. But I don’t think there will ever be a point where I don’t personally touch each piece.”

The new headquarters will allow the company to start doing things they simply haven’t been able to do yet. While the blade style has certainly been a hit, a mallet design is on the horizon. But first and foremost, the folks at Lamb Crafted just want to be able to get putters in the hands of all the people that want them. Tyson acknowledges that has been tough in the past. And he has heard the criticism. The new space should help a ton though. Keep in mind, the company didn’t really sell its first putter until 2015 and it didn’t explode onto the scene until late 2016 with the donut ball marker. In the grand scheme of things, Lamb Crafted is still brand new.

“The minute someone starts to say we are doing bad work, that’s when I will start to worry,” Lamb said. If all they have to say bad is about our communication or wait time, I’m okay with that. We are growing. That’s growing pains. But if someone starts to say we do bad work, then we will start worrying.”

Lamb realizes that his company is growing and getting better at the things they need to get better at. And he also understands that he is working to stay a part of a pretty special group of custom putter makers.

“I don’t necessarily know where we would be without Scotty Cameron,” Tyson said. “A lot of this is possible because of Cameron and what he has done. I don’t think we could’ve done it without what he has done.”

Tyson isn’t afraid of work. The 14-hour work days are necessary in order to make the number of products he is currently making. But giving each customer an experience is what he wants the brand to be all about. The can take many different shapes, whether it be working directly with Tana and Tyson on a custom build or getting to go on a golf trip with the Lamb’s and other Lamb Enthusiasts. Tyson hosts a weekend every year in Texas called “Lamb Jam” and invites the 36 best annual spenders to visit the shop, play some golf, and just hang out with the Lambs.

“That’s probably the most fun thing for me,” Tyson said. “If I can’t do that type of stuff with clients, I’m not going to be happy here. If we stopped making product tomorrow, those relationships we built will keep going on. It’s crazy to see once you introduce someone to someone else, how their passion for putters comes out when they are in their element. It’s cool.”

Tyson and Tana just got back from Streamsong for a weekend of golf with 20 Lamb collectors.

“We met 12 customers that we had never met before,” said Tana Lamb. “That gives us the ability to interact with them. They are spending their money with us. We are building relationships.”

And soon with the new shop, there will be even more clients and experiences to be had. With growth, comes change. With Lamb Crafted, those changes seem to truly be for the better.

“We have some cool stuff coming in the next couple of months that will shock a lot of people,” Tyson said. “Big companies are going to notice. We are trying to do something a little different. We have some cool stuff planned.”

Exciting things ahead.

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Johnny Newbern

Johnny Newbern writes for GolfWRX from Fort Worth, Texas. His loving wife lets him play more golf than is reasonable and his three-year-old son is a tremendous cart partner. He is a Scotty Cameron loyalist and a lover of links-style courses. He believes Coore/Crenshaw can do no wrong, Gil Hanse is the king of renovations, and hole-in-ones are earned, not given. Johnny holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University.

38 Comments

Kyle

Apr 19, 2019 at 2:45 pm

I’ve been diligent about entering lotteries trying to get a chance to have a custom Allendale made but I’ve had no Luck. I have been fortunate enough to snag a couple markers and headcovers in the recent releases. I’m still waiting for the day when I get my number drawn from the lottery. Until then, I’ll just have to deal with my old beat up Newport 🙁

Reply Report comment
A. Commoner

Mar 28, 2019 at 10:35 pm

Wait a little while and pick one of the putters from the ‘ol barrel.’ BTW: The next sales pitch will be for an aspiring independent mouse trap maker.

Reply Report comment
N

Mar 27, 2019 at 7:39 pm

So the whole thins is more about the donut ballmarkers than the putter themselves. Awesome. Not.
Girls, buy your accessories here. You like fancy colors right?

Reply Report comment
3mta3

Mar 27, 2019 at 2:24 pm

I don’t have a crystal ball, but the timing of this expansion could prove to be a huge mistake. Many economists and even the CEO of Chase, Jamie Dimon, have publicly said that there is a strong possibility of an economic downturn in the next 12-24 months. Guess what people aren’t going to be buying when money is tight? $1,200-$7,000+ putters. IMO, they waited too long to expand (or maybe they shouldn’t have at all) and are waiting too long to introduce new products and putters to the market. There should have been Polo’s, umbrellas, gloves, hats (other then the run they did 2+years ago), bags (other than the limited release that was actually made in CHINA!), etc. There should also be a streamlined online ordering process and an actual list of buyers that doesn’t get lost. They have said that they would be doing a putter release once a month for the past 2 years and we can all see how that has worked out. Tyson, Tana, Chris and the rest of the family are amazing and talented people and I wish them all the best, but I think they need to have someone in the business world they can consult with. They do or did have an angel investor, but I am not sure how much meaningful input he is or has given them.

Reply Report comment
- ch
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 8:53 pm
  
  Wow dude, u are going pretty deep to bring Jamie Dimon into the discussion. The world is full of people that think they know what others woulda, shoulda, coulda done. But there are far fewer people that will actually make the sacrifices, risk everything, and put their ass on the line. I admire his guts and wish him the best.
  
  Reply Report comment
- ch
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 10:25 pm
  
  Wow dude, bringing in Jamie Dimon is a bit of a stretch. The world is full of people that think they know what others woulda, shoulda, coulda done. The rare breed are those that sacrifice, risk everything, and put their name on the line. I hope Lamb makes it and I believe he will.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jim

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:38 pm

If you guys want great putters at reasonable prices, you should check out Tom Slighter’s work. He makes putters as fine as I’ve ever seen and they don’t hurt your wallet too much.

Reply Report comment
- Jack Nash
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 3:46 pm
  
  Cheapest I’ve seen is $600. Not truly affordable.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dan Zimmerman

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:37 pm

Rich Sheeple buy little Lambs.
I know a ditty nutty as a fruitcake
Goofy as a goon and silly as a loon
Some call it pretty, others call it crazy
But they all sing this tune:
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn’t you?
Yes! Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn’t you?
If the words sound queer and funny to your ear, a little bit jumbled and jivey

Reply Report comment
R Severin

Mar 27, 2019 at 1:22 pm

Never heard of this guy.

Reply Report comment
Neiman

Mar 27, 2019 at 11:48 am

folks need to learn what i learned as a child. if you want to get something its not what you know, its who you know. i waiting a long time to try and get a putter from Tyson. well over a year. then he did a road trip with his buddies santo and jamula and they basically gave open invites to people to come and golf with them along the way. i took the day off and went and played with them. got to play a round with santos and ask him how i could manage to snag a putter. he said say something when tyson drops back to our group (because tyson would play 4 holes with a group and then drop back and play 4 with the next group and so on. i talked with tyson, which was very easy during a round of golf and then after santos brought me over to where he and tyson were sitting and told tyson to get me a putter asap. i talked with tyson the next week and had my putter within the month, fully custom and with awesome photos of the stick in progress. whats neat about the lambs is they arent encolsed. i collected cameron stuff for years and if you didnt go to ICC you couldnt see cameron. and even if you did you felt as though you were talking up to someone. with tyson you feel like hes right there on your level becuase he wont let you fanboy over him. i love the company. and my recommendation to anyone is find out where he is playing when he does these open invite trips. once you talk to him its easy to bend his ear to get him to make you a stick. id assume how there are so many folks who are able to get these sticks not via lottery.

Reply Report comment
- Ricky S
  
  Apr 13, 2019 at 10:19 am
  
  Sounds like someone owes santoes a BJ!! lol The fan boys from this company are comical. like a sad, pathetic frat house.
  
  Reply Report comment
- E.C.
  
  Apr 13, 2019 at 10:28 am
  
  Neiman, your story sounds silly and pathetic…….All I have to do is track down tyson and bend his ear to get a stick made? I’ll stick with tried and true. Cameron all day with a hint of other great boutique makers coming up. Not going to hunt down a putter maker to get a stick made. If simple emails or Dm’s don’t work then that’s not the company for my money. By the way, who do you know? Do you know this jamola or santoe character. Seem like tysons cheerleaders!!!!!
  
  E.C.
  
  Reply Report comment
Diamond Silvestrah

Mar 27, 2019 at 11:34 am

When I first heard about Tlamb I had high hopes. After unsuccessful attempts at communicating with taner lamb about a putter I gave up. Not sure how one gets a putter from the lambs but not worth the fight and the price imo. A lot of options these days for boutique makers!!

Reply Report comment
Ryan H

Mar 27, 2019 at 11:25 am

tyson has been stagnant these days with no new products hitting the market. Same divot tool design and marker designs but now everything seems to be engraved with no hand stamping…. Where are all the putters? Other makers are churning out putters while tyson is off golfing with his pals!! #prioritizing Brash and arrogant might not be the key to success. my two cents….

Reply Report comment
- Hela
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 12:58 pm
  
  Cheaper and faster. Just keep taking care of the few friends and screw everyone else in the secondary market
  
  Reply Report comment
Charles Bacon

Mar 27, 2019 at 11:17 am

A lot of talk with minimal to no production. Tuyson is a trinket maker!! A new facility to make trinkets might not have been the best move. So many other equally good makers like Cody James who make PUTTERS!! Check out Logan Olson as well.

Reply Report comment
dat

Mar 27, 2019 at 9:12 am

I don’t get it, never will.

Reply Report comment
Rich

Mar 27, 2019 at 8:46 am

I have played golf for over 20 years. I have seen businesses come and go. It’s nice to see someone going a different route for once and creating their own path. Cameron created the high end putter market. Many people don’t truly understand the scarcity and collectibility model, but it’s a serious business. There are serious $$$ associated IF you can become collectible. In the last 20 years, Cameron has been the most collectible. In a short amount of time, TL has created a strong collectible market. You may not agree with his methods, but based on eBay prices alone, it’s working. I don’t care how or what the guy does, he’s definitely made a name for himself, and he’s done it without the help of an OEM. I definitely think there needs to be more structure to his business and brand, but it’s pretty clear it’s not due to a lack of effort. I don’t know him, but I have a few of his products. The quality of his work is top notch, and to me, that’s what’s most important. Golf is ran by big business, and I bet it’s not as easy to succeed as us keyboard trolls think it is. Regardless of where he goes, I enjoy watching his story, and it looks like he truly loves his craft. Not many people can say that. Great read article btw.

Reply Report comment
Eric

Mar 27, 2019 at 8:11 am

Do people not understand that he is a small business owner and with only two machines? He is busting his butt to create as many items as he can. I have been lucky enough to obtain two ball markers and let me tell you, they are high quality items! Eventually, I look forward to owning one of his putters.
People are comparing him to Cameron and his items? Come on now, Cameron is a well established global company. Tyson started out of his family’s garage a few years back. The sale of his “knick knacks” is going to allow him to create capital and create a larger business to release more putters into the market.
BTW, great article!

Reply Report comment
- DB
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 8:28 am
  
  Wow, you were lucky enough to be able to purchase two ball markers? Were they just $55 each? Please tell us more.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Eric
    
    Mar 27, 2019 at 8:51 am
    
    Just $55. Got lucky in their lottery.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - MJG
      
      Mar 27, 2019 at 12:12 pm
      
      I think that was sarcasm FYI
      
      There are makers with smaller teams, less space, 1 machine that are putting out more putters than TL. You have bought in to the brands messaging – nothing wrong with that.
      
      I own a bunch of the goods. Quality is great but not anything far and away better than other creators out there. I wish LC luck but they need to figure out what business they are in sooner than later.
      
      Reply Report comment
George

Mar 26, 2019 at 11:11 pm

What makes these putters special? Never understood the hype of a lamp putter

Reply Report comment
- C
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 8:29 am
  
  Can’t understand it. Can’t spell it, either.
  
  Reply Report comment
MJG

Mar 26, 2019 at 10:28 pm

The folllowing the Lambs have built is fantastic. Unfortunately I feel the company is loyal to them to a fault. It makes releases more difficult than they need to be as time and resources are constantly wasted trying to fight bots and resellers.

There’s a lot of potential and Tyson does great work – they need to find someone that can strengthen the business side of Lamb Crafted it is their greatness weakness and what they will need to overcome for long term success

Reply Report comment
Nanananananana

Mar 26, 2019 at 8:26 pm

Rich man’s game.
I didn’t know there were so many women playing Lamb’s putters. They need this many frilly accessories to satisfy them?
The boyfriends must be tearing their hair out trying to please their girls

Reply Report comment
JP

Mar 26, 2019 at 7:22 pm

Lamb needs to release enough markers and head covers so the flippers don’t ruin his market. At one time I wanted a donut or pop top ball marker, but the unrealistic prices on the secondary market made me go a different direction.
.
In that aspect, Cameron nailed it. You can get his standard ball markers or divot tools fairly easily. It’s the circle t stuff that’s collectible and hard to get. EVERYTHING from Lamb is hard to get.
.
The quality looks nice and I’d probably have a ball marker and divot tool if it were possible. And yes, I’d snag a putter when the right one comes up. But as it is, it really looks like he hooks up his group of friends with all the goods and lets them feed the secondary market and flood the bHey. Certain sellers have many many Lamb items up for auction, yet I can never find a single item available without a flippers markup?
.
Until they fix that, no thanks!

Reply Report comment
- Chris Murphy
  
  Mar 26, 2019 at 7:38 pm
  
  Spot on!
  
  Reply Report comment
- B
  
  Mar 26, 2019 at 8:22 pm
  
  @JP
  
  WHAT
  
  Reply Report comment
- mbrown1833
  
  Mar 26, 2019 at 8:25 pm
  
  JP shoot me a message on here.
  
  -mbrown1833
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bill
    
    Mar 28, 2019 at 3:33 pm
    
    They talk about how the accessories fund the business. They should be paying a royalty to Walmart for copying the donuts from Walmart’s coffee brand. ““The donut ball marker went crazy and everyone wanted it.” LOL! I guess it wont be a royalty at this point because its theft.
    
    Should be paying Dumb and Dumber for using their movie quotes, and now Oreo for making an Oreo with their logo! And countless others. Pretty cool they use NFL Logos and College Logo’s with no mention of licensing. What kind of brand is this? Lets build a company but using other companies hard work and branding!
    
    What an amazing network of friends they have that support such a unique model!
    
    Reply Report comment
Chris Murphy

Mar 26, 2019 at 7:02 pm

Except for the fact that they don’t release 300 putters a year. I understand the model to release accessories first, but Tyson and Co rarely release putters. Even by their own admission, they’d like to release 10 putters a month. That’s 120 per year, not 300. I’d venture a guess there’s less than 500 putters in the wild.

The disconnect with Lamb Crafted comes when people aren’t able to get the product and it doesn’t come across as exclusive, but rather cronyistic. A select group of people have 2,3,4,5 or more putters, but average people interested in his stuff can’t even get one, regardless of how much they’re willing to pay.

I like Tyson’s stuff, and I think he’s really talented. Shoot, I still want one of his putters myself. But he needs to be careful that he isn’t late to market with the products people actually want. The flippers and buzzards flooded in with the pop tops and donuts, but the secondary market has cooled off considerably. That’s a sign that interest may be waning. As someone said on the forums, Lamb Crafted is a company of knick-knacks and other stuff, just not many putters.

I

Reply Report comment
- italianstallion
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 9:15 am
  
  Fantastic comment. Releasing great accessories is fine, but if you’re painting yourself as a putter maker your accessories are only going to sell in as much as you’re releasing putters. If my count is correct, less than 50 putters were released in 2018 to the general public. So far in 2019 there’s been approximately 25 released.
  
  This is why the accessories are cooling off both on their website and in the secondary, ESPECIALLY headcovers. People use to buy these things with the hope of someday getting a putter. People can only cling to hope for so long with the release numbers I quoted above. Even with 10 putters released a month lottery style, there’s still not much hope of landing one with 500+ entering each lottery. Their accessory market will not survive on 10 putters a month.
  
  I have no doubt the Lambs are busting their butts right now, but we’ve seen plenty of pictures of raw billet steel, with no putters coming to market. It becomes disheartening when you see people post pictures of the multiple full custom putters they’ve recently received and you start to make the connections. It’s not my buisness to run, but I hope that the Lambs see the long-term connection between their accessories and their putters.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jay
    
    Mar 27, 2019 at 4:31 pm
    
    I agree 100%. If you are into his work it’s obvious the secondary market is almost non-existent for anything remotely new (i.e. newer than the 1st set of donuts release). Headcovers, Divot tools etc. are frequently sold at cost or below once you factor out selling fees, shipping etc. The holiday offerings have taken the biggest hit.
    
    I think more and more people are thinking why am I paying $100 for something that can’t even retain its original value. After all these are collectibles for the majority of buyers.
    
    I think the primary buckets of Lamb buyers are:
    1. Collectors. – Large %. Starting to leave – These people are starting to feel less compelled to buy everything based upon secondary market.
    2. Flippers. – See #1
    3. Rich People. – Smaller % of people that don’t care about the value of their collectibles as money doesn’t matters. They will stay with the brand.
    4. Users. – Smaller % of people that are actively using them and think the cost is fair to their enjoyment using it. They will stay with the brand.
    5. Extreme Collectors/Fans – Smallest % of people who fit multiple buckets above PLUS they want to be part of the story. Whether it’s through the normal sales, to even the random drawings the same “insiders” seem to be able to consistently score and have duplicates to move. They will stay with the brand.
    
    I hope they make it as the more options the better, but worry like others the expansion may be too late.
    
    Reply Report comment
- ch
  
  Mar 27, 2019 at 10:42 pm
  
  I believe the releasing of 10 putters a month is in addition to all the custom putters being done.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Mike B
    
    Mar 28, 2019 at 10:25 am
    
    When I see release after release then I will be a believer. Until then, I’ll stick with makers who actually make sticks
    
    Reply Report comment
Phil

Mar 26, 2019 at 4:24 pm

Great read. Your new writer is fantastic.

Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

Published

7 hours ago

Mar 26, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.

As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open betting preview

Published

8 hours ago

Mar 26, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

As the Florida swing comes to an end, the PGA Tour makes its way to Houston to play the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

This will be the fourth year that Memorial Park Golf Course will serve as the tournament host. The event did not take place in 2023, but the course hosted the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Memorial Park is a par-70 layout measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course has been thick rough along the fairways and tightly mown runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park has a unique setup that features three Par 5’s and five Par 3’s.

The field will consist of 132 players, with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala.

Past Winners at Memorial Park

2022: Tony Finau (-16)
2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)
2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For Memorial Park

Let’s take a look at several metrics for Memorial Park to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds:

Strokes Gained: Approach

Memorial Park is a pretty tough golf course. Golfers are penalized for missing greens and face some difficult up and downs to save par. Approach will be key.

Total Strokes Gained: Approach per round in past 24 rounds:

Tom Hoge (+1.30)
Scottie Scheffler (+1.26)
Keith Mitchell (+0.97)
Tony Finau (+0.92)
Jake Knapp (+0.84)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Memorial Park is a long golf course with rough that can be penal. Therefore, a combination of distance and accuracy is the best metric.

Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee per round in past 24 rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+0.94)
Kevin Dougherty (+0.93)
Cameron Champ (+0.86)
Rafael Campos (+0.84)
Si Woo Kim (+0.70)

Strokes Gained Putting: Bermudagrass + Fast

The Bermudagrass greens played fairly fast the past few years in Houston. Jason Kokrak gained 8.7 strokes putting on his way to victory in 2021 and Tony Finau gained in 7.8 in 2022.

Total Strokes Gained Putting (Bermudagrass) per round past 24 rounds (min. 8 rounds):

Adam Svensson (+1.27)
Harry Hall (+1.01)
Martin Trainer (+0.94)
Taylor Montgomery (+0.88)
S.H. Kim (+0.86)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

With firm and undulating putting surfaces, holding the green on approach shots may prove to be a challenge. Memorial Park has many tightly mowed runoff areas, so golfers will have challenging up-and-down’s around the greens. Carlos Ortiz gained 5.7 strokes around the green on the way to victory in 2020.

Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green per round in past 24 rounds:

Mackenzie Hughes (+0.76)
S.H. Kim (+0.68)
Scottie Scheffler (+0.64)
Jorge Campillo (+0.62)
Jason Day (+0.60)

Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult

Memorial Park is a long and difficult golf course. This statistic will incorporate players who’ve had success on these types of tracks in the past.

Total Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult in past 24 rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+2.45)
Ben Griffin (+1.75)
Will Zalatoris (+1.73)
Ben Taylor (+1.53)
Tony Finau (+1.42)

Course History

Here are the players who have performed the most consistently at Memorial Park.

Strokes Gained Total at Memorial Park past 12 rounds:

Tyson Alexander (+3.65)
Ben Taylor (+3.40)
Tony Finau (+2.37)
Joel Dahmen (+2.25)
Patton Kizzire (+2.16)

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: App (24%) SG: OTT (24%); SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Fast (13%); SG: Long and Difficult (13%); SG: ARG (13%) and Course History (13%)

Scottie Scheffler
Wyndham Clark
Tony Finau
Joel Dahmen
Stephan Jaeger
Aaron Rai
Sahith Theegala
Keith Mitchell
Jhonnatan Vegas
Jason Day
Kurt Kitayama
Alex Noren
Will Zalatoris
Si Woo Kim
Adam Long

2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Picks

Will Zalatoris +2000 (Caesars)

Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be difficult to beat this week, so I’m starting my card with someone who I believe has the talent to beat him if he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Will Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS, but still managed to gain strokes on approach while doing so. In an unpredictable event with extreme variance, I don’t believe it would be wise to discount Zalatoris based on that performance. Prior to The PLAYERS, the 27-year-old finished T13, T2 and T4 in his previous three starts.

Zalatoris plays his best golf on long and difficult golf courses. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the category, but the eye test also tells a similar story. He’s contended at major championships and elevated events in the best of fields with tough scoring conditions. The Texas resident should be a perfect fit at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Alex Noren +4500 (FanDuel)

Alex Noren has been quietly playing some of his best golf of the last half decade this season. The 41-year-old is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes in Florida including a T9 at The PLAYERS in his most recent start.

In his past 24 rounds, Noren ranks 21st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 30th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 25th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses and 21st in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bermudagrass greens.

In addition to his strong recent play, the Swede also has played well at Memorial Park. In 2022, Noren finished T4 at the event, gaining 2.2 strokes off the tee and 7.0 strokes on approach for the week. In his two starts at the course, he’s gained an average of .6 strokes per round on the field, indicating he is comfortable on these greens.

Noren has been due for a win for what feels like an eternity, but Memorial Park may be the course that suits him well enough for him to finally get his elusive first PGA Tour victory.

Mackenzie Hughes +8000 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes found himself deep into contention at last week’s Valspar Championship before faltering late and finishing in a tie for 3rd place. While he would have loved to win the event, it’s hard to see the performance as anything other than an overwhelming positive sign for the Canadian.

Hughes has played great golf at Memorial Park in the past. He finished T7 in 2020, T29 in 2021 and T16 in 2022. The course fit seems to be quite strong for Hughes. He’s added distance off the tee in the past year or and ranks 8th in the field for apex height, which will be a key factor when hitting into Memorial Park’s elevated greens with steep run-off areas.

In his past 24 rounds, Hughes is the best player in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Greens. The ability to scramble at this course will be extremely important. I believe Hughes can build off of his strong finish last week and contend once again to cement himself as a President’s Cup consideration.

Akshay Bhatia +8000 (FanDuel)

Akshay Bhatia played well last week at the Valspar and seemed to be in total control of his golf ball. He finished in a tie for 17th and shot an impressive -3 on a difficult Sunday. After struggling Thursday, Akshay shot 68-70-68 in his next three rounds.

Thus far, Bhatia has played better at easier courses, but his success at Copperhead may be due to his game maturing. The 22-year-old has enormous potential and the raw talent to be one of the best players in the world when he figures it all out.

Bhatia is a high upside play with superstar qualities and may just take the leap forward to the next stage of his career in the coming months.

Cameron Champ +12000 (FanDuel)

Cameron Champ is a player I often target in the outright betting market due to his “boom-or-bust” nature. It’s hard to think of a player in recent history with three PGA Tour wins who’s been as inconsistent as Champ has over the course of his career.

Despite the erratic play, Cam Champ simply knows how to win. He’s won in 2018, 2019 and 2021, so I feel he’s due for a win at some point this season. The former Texas A&M product should be comfortable in Texas and last week he showed us that his game is in a pretty decent spot.

Over his past 24 rounds, Champ ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 30th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses. Given his ability to spike at any given time, Memorial Park is a good golf course to target Champ on at triple digit odds.

Robert MacIntyre +12000 (FanDuel)

The challenge this week is finding players who can possibly beat Scottie Scheffler while also not dumping an enormous amount of money into an event that has a player at the top that looks extremely dangerous. Enter McIntyre, who’s another boom-or-bust type player who has the ceiling to compete with anyone when his game is clicking on all cylinders.

In his past 24 rounds, MacIntyre ranks 16th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 17th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses.

MacIntyre’s PGA Tour season has gotten off to a slow start, but he finished T6 in Mexico, which is a course where players will hit driver on the majority of their tee shots, which is what we will see at Memorial Park. Texas can also get quite windy, which should suit MacIntyre. Last July, the Scot went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a narrow defeat. It would take a similar heroic effort to compete with Scheffler this year in Houston.

Ryan Moore +15000 (FanDuel)

Ryan Moore’s iron play has been absolutely unconscious over his past few starts. At The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field, he gained 6.1 strokes on approach and last week at Copperhead, he gained 9.0 strokes on approach.

It’s been a rough handful of years on Tour for the 41-year-old, but he is still a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who’s young enough for a career resurgence. Moore has chronic deterioration in a costovertebral joint that connects the rib to the spine, but has been getting more consistent of late, which is hopefully a sign that he is getting healthy.

Veterans have been contending in 2024 and I believe taking a flier on a proven Tour play who’s shown signs of life is a wise move at Memorial Park.

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News

Tour Rundown: Malnati’s 2nd, Korda rebounds

Published

1 day ago

Mar 25, 2024

Ronald Montesano

March has brought out the lion as the month draws to a close. An early spring fortnight brought dreams of golf for the northern states until Mother Nature shrieked a veil of snow across those emerald fairways. Fortunately for golf, the sun shined bright and warm across a fair part of the links landscape, and events in Singapore, the Yucatan, California, and Florida, went off as planned. We hold our breath when champion golfers rise to the occasion in grand slam events. For the Malnatis, Feaglers, and Svenssons of the golfverse, every week is a major opportunity. In honor of their efforts, let’s begin this week’s Tour Rundown with a flying beast seen rarely outside the southern oceans: the albatross

ALBATROSS FOR @ROBBY_SHELTON!

Are you kidding?! ? pic.twitter.com/UzNOQQHkqo

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024

PGA Tour @ Valspar: Malnati earns second tour title

Keith Mitchell played 54 great holes from Thursday to Saturday in Florida and played two more great ones on Sunday. It was the eight rotten holes on day four that cost him nine shots and dropped him from first to 17th in one round. Mitchell looked like a man poised to collect his first tour title, until his Sunday malaise. His struggles cleared the way for a number of challengers to move up the board. The tournament was won at 12-under par, but eight players finished within four shots of that lead.

Four shots are not a lot to make up on the Copperhead golf course at Innisbrook. Adam Hadwin, Carly Yuan, Xander Schauffele, and Ryan Moore finished on 276 strokes, four back fo the leader and tied for fifth. Mackenzie Hughes and Chandler Phillips finished one shot lower, at 275 strokes, in a tie for third spot. The runner-up spot was claimed by Cameron Young, perhaps the most talented player on tour without a win. Young was spectacular all week, never leaving the 60s.

Late in the round, Peter Malnati posted his fifth birdie of the day, at the difficult 17th. His tee ball from 200 yards settled six feet from the hole, and he guided the putt home. Ahead of him, on the uphill 18th, Young flew his drive far left but was able to loft an approach onto the green. His first putt, from 50-ish feet, came up woefully short and his attempt to save par was wide of its mark. Despite a drive into the left fairway bunker at the last, Malnati was able to recover to the green in two and coax a 25-feet approach put to tap in range. The victory was Malnati’s first since 2015, and his second overall.

Another birdie for @PeterMalnati ?

He holes the solo lead with one to play @ValsparChamp. pic.twitter.com/plqKr3dvm1

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2024

LPGA @ Se Ri Pak Championship: Korda rebounds for overtime win

During the first week of March Madness, maddening things happened on and off the hardwood. For Nelly Korda, the eagle she collected with five holes to play, should have given her momentum and confidence. Instead, it took her in the opposite direction. She found bogies at 15, 17, and 18, and it was only a saving birdie at the 16th that allowed her entry into a playoff with Ryann O’Toole. The pair returned to the 18th tee, and Korda once again managed to reverse fortune.

After the eagle, Korda strode at 11-under par, while her closest pursuers were a solid handful behind. At that juncture, O’Toole snared birdies at 15 and 16, and closed with pars at 17 and 18. She waited 45 minutes for Korda to finish, certainly uncertain as to her chances for more golf. In the playoff, both golfers hit stellar approach shots to the home green, with Korda about four feet inside O’Toole. The UCLA alumna missed her run at birdie, but Korda’s aim was true. The victory was her 10th on tour and her second of the 2024 campaign.

Two gorgeous approaches from @RyannOToole and @NellyKorda ?

This is gonna be a close one! pic.twitter.com/tKIZyRNxZd

— LPGA (@LPGA) March 24, 2024

DP World Tour @ Singapore Classic: That’s Svensson with three S’s

Svenson and its variations must be somewhat similar to the name Smith across the English-speaking world. Your father was a guy named Sven, so they didn’t think too long before giving you a last name. Jesper Svensson must be relieved: coming from a long line of Svens (hence the double S in the middle) his parents strayed from the norm and went all in on Jesper. This week in Singapore (which might be renamed Ssingapore for a bit) Jesper, son of Svenss, took down a guy that the golf world was all in on, just a decade ago.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat has a fun name to pronunce, at least for filologists. Back in the 2010s, he was a rising star, bound for glory. He collected four wins on the DP World Tour, from 2015 to 2018. Then, inexplicably, he went away. The Thai golfer made his return to our collective view in 2024 and came within a whisper of collectin win number five on Europe’s tour. Aphibarnrat opened and closed the event with rounds of 64, and normally, those fireworks would have sufficed to ice the trophy. Then came a guy named Jesper, son of Svenss.

Despite three bogies on his Sunday card, Svensson amassed eight birdies and two eagles and posted 63. This indiscrete round was enough to earn him a spot in a playoff with Aphibarnrat. The duo returned thrice to the 18th tee, and things appeared to worsen with each voyage. After having the hole with birdies in trip one, the pair managed pars in trip two, then a par and bogey in trip three. Just like that, the tournament had reached a conclusion, and Jesper Svensson the golfer will now threaten Jesper Svensson the bowler’s hold on Wiki searches. Enjoy one of his approach shots for eagle during round four.

A shot worthy of any champion ??#PorscheSingaporeClassic pic.twitter.com/apNudYeFkl

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 24, 2024

Korn Ferry Tour @ Bupa: Feagler stands tall after playoff

The KFT event along the Mexican Riviera began day four in the hands of an Argentine golfer. Nelson Ledesma appeared worthy of the title, until he endured a thousand small cuts, on his way to a closing 81. He dropped from 1st to 31st and didn’t just open the door for his chasers. He took out two or three walls and exposed the entire barn for all to enter.

The PGA Riviera Maya course played a stout, 7200 yards this week, and its defenses were apparent for all who came to compete. The week’s low round of 65 came on Thursday, and was redeemed by Jesus Montenegro, He soared ten shots higher on day two but would steady himself enough to finish in a seventh-place tie. With 66 on Thursday, Davis Shore found himself in contention, and he would remain until closing time. As the challenges increased, scores headed north and rounds of 76 and 74 would ultimately be found on the scorecards of the men who tied at the top.

Shore posted a 76 on day three, while Clay Feagler signed for a 74. On Sunday, as Ledesma was tumbling, both Shore and Feagler marched toward a 4-under-par total. They edged past Julian Etulain and tied for the pole position. Off to extra time they went, but three trips over the 436-yard 18th resolved nothing. Each golfer posted par-bogey-par, and the playoff moved to the 10th tee for its conclusion. There, Feagler made another bogey, but Shore went one worse. Unable to avoid double bogey, Davis Shore was relegated to runner-up status, and Clay Feagler collected a shield for his first Korn Ferry Tour title.

PGA Tour Champions @ Hoag Classic: Six seniors for Padraig

If any man could ever match Bernhard Langer’s 46 wins on Tour Champions, he would certainly have many of the characteristics of Padraig Harrington. The reason he won’t is his heavy investment in a wider reach of golf. Harrington captained the European Ryder Cup side in 2021, a venture that consumes close to two years of a golfer’s attention. After turning 50, Harrington continued to play the PGA Tour, mixing in Tour Champions appearances when time allowed. The Irish golfer has also become a YouTube favorite, offering advice and wisdom to those who wish to improve at the game. In other words, he lacks Langer’s laser focus on one task: winning titles.

That’s quite all right because when Padraig Harrington is on his game, wins come his way. They are rarely runaway victories, and this enhances his reputation for performing at the wire. This week in California, Harrington managed to close out Thongchai Jaidee in a most un-Harrington-esque manner. The lad from Dublin closed birdie-double-birdie-birdie, and this was enough to hold off the champion from Thailand by one.

The double at 16 was Harrington’s second of the day. A pair of doubles is welcome in no poker hand, yet Harrington found a way to overcome. The win was his sixth on Tour Champions. With a pair of playoff losses on the senior circuit, Harrington was fortunate to conclude matters in regulation time.

Paddy is clutch!@Padraig_H bounces back from a double bogey on 16 with a birdie on 17 to tie the lead @HoagClassic ? pic.twitter.com/pYaIamtSN8

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 24, 2024

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